"I Need You To Hire a Damn Healer" | Varka
Note: 4k words, mentions of injuries, slight angst if you squint, some nsfw innuendos but it's all jokes the worst they do is kiss :) they/them pronouns for the reader as per usual
"I need you to hire a damn healer for me, and hold still."
"When have I ever been phased by this?" Varka laughs, keeping his arm face down on top of his leg. "Besides who needs a healer when I have you by my side?"
"Someone who can actually heal and not just apply first aid." They grumble back and pour the clear liquid over the large gash. Varka had blocked his face with his left arm, swigging his claymore with the other, leaving the open wound larger in the middle. It faded out the closer it got to his left hand, and luckily the right remained unharmed. "Aren't you tired of all these scars?"
Varka's face fell in an instant hearing those words. Being a knight was his everything, even though he knew his partner did not mean it that way. He stopped thinking about scars as badges of honor the moment it turned double digits. At least that was what he said. "You know ever since we were stuck on Dragonspine scars haven't meant a thing to me anymore." He said with more venom in his voice than intended.
His partner starts to apply wound ointment before applying gauze and wrapping it in bandages. "Dragonspine? We were barley in our twenties back then, barely even knights. Why then?"
"Oh right you probably don't remember much of the trip-"
"It was my job to keep the fires going while we were exploring." They interjected, always having to get their sarcastic comments in whenever possible.
"Well, you see, that was the first time you and I ever had a heart to heart-"
"Huh?" They face turned disgusted, "excuse me but I'm very sure that we had many heart to hearts way before Dragonspine and that wasn't even the first time we were stuck by ourselves!" They exclaimed, still mentally reminding themselves to not wrap the wound too tight.
"It was the first time we didn't know if we would make it back home alive." Varka completely drops the his usual cheerful tone. "You were about to freeze to death in my arms from the sheer cold and I thought that if another hilichurl pops it's head into our hiding hole I was gonna snap it's head off with my own two hands." He grabs their hand with too much force, but he knew it wouldn't phase them at all. He always gets like this when it comes to anyone's safety.
Whether it was his troupe; the people who followed him across Teyvat no matter what the mission brief was like. His archon; whom he has found drunk in an alleyway while out on patrol. Listening to the bard's stories of old, his hopes and dreams that never saw the light of day. And how he wishes the wind would bring back some people most dear, lost forever to the curse of time he bares.
However his partner; who original was a sparing partner when he first joined the knights turned scouting partner when they both moved up in the ranks, who finally become his partner. The one he holds close at night no matter the weather. Who he thinks of the most when on the battle field, even though he can usually feel their back against his. They are the only one who has seen him cry in decades, who talks him out of his own worst fears. Who makes his life truly worth living. Yes, he is dedicated to his people, his troupe and his archon but no one comes close to his partner in everything. The only one who he would turn the whole world upside down for with his own two hands, slaughter anything that brings them harm.
He would never want to watch the sunrise and set with anyone else. Keeping them safe was all that matters in the end.
Varka has never told them this before. Waxing poetic 'nonsense' at them would likely not do any good for their relationship. Putting a ring on it might, though that conversation has yet to come up. Being together for a decade now and knowing each other even longer than that sort of complicates things. It never mattered to the grandmaster though. He would never leave their side, and knows they feel the same way. Feeling that same devotion, knowing damn well it's mutual, was all that it takes for him to be content.
He stops thinking about all the things he loves and cherishes about them and resumes the topic. "Scars stopped meaning anything when you looked at them with such deep concern in your eyes."
They never forgot that moment. Their first scouting mission together, two years before they would be stuck on Dragonspine together. It was nothing more than a training mission, plain and simple. All of the tracks the two would be looking for were all made by knights of higher ranking. The only clue given was to track their target in Stormterror's Lair. The training was failed due to technicality. Varka caught a glimpse of an abyssal mage and thought that was what they were supposed to track. Even though the two were still fresh newbies who recently passed the most basic combat lessons. Unable to convince him otherwise, "why would he have us, two dumbasses, track anything from the abyss? That doesn't make any sense." his scouting partner followed him and ended up finding most of the traces left behind.
That's when both of them got cornered. Varka didn't know at the time that when his partner got so absorbed in their task they stopped being cautions of their surrounding. Varka has not yet realized to be on guard at all times, even during training sessions or out exploring.
So, of course, the newbies were ambushed.
By three abyss mages.
Just their luck.
After being soaked, frozen only to then be thawed and roasted alive, his partner really wanted to chew Varka's ear off. Yell about how they knew this was not the training exercise or how he needs to keep that claymore to himself. But alas, playing decoy and taking most of the hits was their best option for getting out alive. It was at this moment they were oh so glad the anemo archon blessed Varka with a vision, otherwise they might not be getting out of here alive.
When the final mage turned into dust, Varka looked over at them with a smile, "hey we made it out-" only to see them covered in scratches and parts of their uniform burned off where the armor wasn't protecting.
"Yeah, made it out alive." They chuckled, "let's head back to base?" They tried to take a step forward but immediately yelped in pain. "Fuck!"
"Whoa hey slow down." Varka had pulled out his calm, 'leader' voice. "Let me take a look at your leg..." he spots a large rock they could lean against, "can you make it to that rock over there?"
"Of course I can..." They muttered, and hobbled their way over. They should have, in fact, not said that. Young twenties pride refused to ask Varka for help. After struggling to get their boot off, it was obvious they had injured their ankle during the fight.
"Yeah you definitely did something alright..." Varka says, "it's swelling already too. When we get back to base I'll make the report." His leadership skills are already starting to shine through as he scans the area as far as he can see for any potential road blocks. He then turns around and kneels to the ground. "Let's get going."
Leaving no room for argument, and they remind themself to let go of their stubbornness, they climbed on his back and hung for the trip back to base. It was silent for awhile before Varka spoke up. "Why did you take so many hits back there? If you didn't act like a human shield maybe this wouldn't've happened."
His partner mulls over his words for a minute before responding, "I didn't have much time to think of plan, you know?" Varka hums in response. "You are a much better fighter than I am, and a lot stronger-"
"That's not true-"
"I'm not downplaying my own strength here, these are the facts. I am better at coming up with tactics and plans, you are better at attacking and moral boosting." They cut him off. "You'll be a good leader one day, probably."
"Probably!?" Varka exclaims.
They rest their head on the back of his, finally looking down at the arms carrying them. A few scars have already made their way onto his skin for being so young. They got a good look at the few scratches he received from this battle, filling them with this weird sense of pride. Though they never wanted to be a human meat shield again. "Next time we're partnered up, we are bring a healer."
Varka was officially all patched up, to the best of his partners abilities, and stood up. He snapped out of what is now a happy memory and stood as well. "Well, Grand Master, what's the plan?" They had a cheeky little grin appear on their face. "How are we gonna get out of this one?"
The wild hunt surrounded them from both sides, with the ocean at their backs. A boulder was the only thing keeping them hidden for a moment. "We're at Starsand Shoal and everyone else should be heading back to Nasha Town by now..." He looks up at the now almost completely set sun. "With your vision I'll be able to wield pyro, but I wonder if we should just make a run for it."
"Seriously?!"
"Unless you want to try and paddle board back to base with my claymore as a boat and your sword as a paddle." He mumbles, reminding himself that this is no time for bickering. Even if they both secretly enjoy it. "Scout out the area from above to make sure there aren't any civilians or any wild life that'll need help." He tilts his head up to the top of their shield. "And don't get caught."
Varka always say that when he sends them out on a solo recon mission. No one else ever gets missions alone, safety in numbers and all, but there have been many situations when he could only trust his partner to handle it. However this boulder wasn't that big, it barley covered the two of them. It stood out among the flat and even plain area too. Never the less they quickly scrambled to the top and just barely peaked their head over.
"No civilians or wildlife, sir."
"Don't call me that..." The blonde mutters underneath his breath, "think we can cut through the middle, captain?"
They roll their eyes at the title, that's more like a nickname, "this is the wild hunt we're talking about sir. Neither of use have lunar powers or are a lightkeeper."
"Captain, you know that's not what I'm asking."
"But sir do you plan on leaving this place like this? It could be at any moment that-"
"I've already thought it over in my head, just answer the question all ready." Varka cuts them off and drops the bickering, no longer wanting to try and lighten the mood.
"We can, just straight down the middle." Varka joins them at the top, standing on it. The wild hunt notices him instantly.
"Hold on tight," with his claymore in one hand, and his partner thrown over his shoulder in the other, he makes a huge jump. After successful landing in the middle of everything, he makes a break for the other side. Swinging his claymore to cut any enemy in his way but not enough to kill it. His partner makes a shield around the two of them and swings their sword to defend his back.
This was of course not the first time they have had to use this tactic. Or the second time, in fact.
"We're almost there! Just hang on tight!" Varka shouts.
"Shut up and focus-!" His partner yells back but then realizes the other meaning behind his words.
To literally hold on because he is no longer supporting them. They latch onto his bicep for dear life, still making sure there was a shield around them. As soon as Varka made contact on the green grass, he pauses, then launches them both further away from the Wild Hunt. A lightkeeper sees them and calls him over. "Sir Varka!" He calls, "Are you guys alright!"
Varka shot his head over, "call for back up, now!" He orders and the lightkeeper runs off to his squad. He finally slows down his running speed to a stop, setting his partner back onto the ground safely. "You alright?"
"I guess..." They rub their rip cage, "we've got to stop doing that."
Varka frowns, "sorry but I didn't see any other way to get us out of that one."
"It's alright, really." His partner smiles, trying to reassure him. "How's your arm? Do you need to sit this one out-"
"Of course not." Varka cuts them off and notices the lightkeeper and his squad rushing towards the two of them. "There's no way I'm letting you fight alone. Not now, not ever."
His partners eyes widen at those words, remembering the first time they had ever heard him say it. Sending them back, for the second time that day, to that night they were stuck on Dragonspine, Varka covered in blood and monster guts while they were shivering from the sheer cold. Their vision was glowing brightly in their small hiding spot, which was only big enough for the two of them to squeeze into. Their breathing was now too heavy, and they were starting to get dizzy. "Hey, Varka..." They whispered.
The blonde turned his head around and without thinking, his arms wrapped around his partner. Their body was as cold as the snow and ice surrounding them, although he could feel the slightest bit of warmth from their vision. "I think you should go get help..."
"Breath deeply," he ignores their words. "kind of like a slow rhythm. Like the one that old bard play's sometimes." Mentally he's beating himself up for not knowing how to help them.
"Varka," they plead, "I'm serious. I can't make it back down the mountain even if we weren't lost. But you can, just glide down north as fast as you can so you'll be somewhat close to the camp."
"You're misunderstanding me, I'm not leaving you here alone. Not now, not ever." He says firmly, "fuck it..." he pulls both of their bodies out of their hiding spot, their body pressed against his, his claymore in front of them. However there were no enemies in sight. "Where do you think we are at?"
They blink as their eyes adjust to the light again, looking around to anything they would have taken note of before. "Are those... ribs?" They asked, their speech slightly slurred, still shivering from the sheer cold.
Varka looks down, "I guess so?"
"Then we're closer to camp than I thought we were." It takes them a few moments to get their words together, "we gotta go north until we reach the river, remember? Then just follow it until the snow stops falling, the camp should be somewhere near by..."
"Hey!" He shakes them awake, "I need you to help get us out of here, alright? Don't fall asleep on me," they try to give him a reassuring smile but fail to convince him it's a real one. "Just... keep your vision glowing." He walks with heavy footsteps, but focuses on the warmth coming from them. Until he reaches the end of the path, making up his mind to use his glider to get them someplace warm faster. "Hang on tight for me, yeah?"
"Huh?"
"I got you, just don't let go."
"Varka- wait!" They realized his plan a little too late, throwing their arms around his chest and held on as tight as their body would let them.
Some how the anemo archon must have heard his prayer, when he deployed his glider with one hand they did not immediately fall. The wind gently carried them down the mountain, close to the river, the breezy slowed down until Varka made a soft landing. "Hahaha!" The man cheers, "remind me to remind you to never doubt me again."
His smile quickly fades when he notices his partner's eyes are closed and the warmth from their vision has grown cold. "Shit!" He takes off running towards the camp, clutching them close to his chest. "Just stay with me, yeah? C'mon, open your eyes." He taps their cheek with the back of his hand, feeling how cold their face is. With not a torch, or anything flammable in sight, Varka pauses for a moment to shrug off his own coat to wrap it around them.
"You're gonna lecture me about this later..." He grumbles before picking them up again, "we should be there soon..."
His partner wakes up in a tent, covered in blankets with any clothing that was slightly wet removed. They turn to see Varka asleep in a chair beside them, also having a blanket covering him. "Varka," they call out, "are you alright?"
His eyes snap open, practically jumping out of his seat, "you're okay?" He asks, not hearing their question. "I had one of the church members look you over and she said there was no frost bite, somehow..."
"At least someone around here is a healer." They joke, "maybe you should hire her to accompany us next time," they jest but decide to end it there on account for Varka's serious face.
----
"Thank you for all of your help, Mr. Flins." Varka's partner and the Lightkeeper sit the knight onto a bed at the Flagship. "I owe you one."
"It was no trouble at all, considerate it a thanks for helping the Lightkeepers where ever the knights are. I already spoke with the staff here while you were briefing your squad. They said you are both good to stay here for as many nights as you need to." Flins smiles, shaking their hand, "perhaps you could buy me a drink the next time we see each other?"
"Glady." They wave him off as he exits the room, leaving the two of the alone. Their attention is now back onto Varka, not letting him put up a fight to start helping him get his uniform off. "Let me take a look at your leg." Varka says nothing in response, just doing his best to help pull his boots off of him.
"Yeah they got you good." His partner tries to lighten the mood. "I can't believe the skin didn't break, I think you hurt it more by falling down."
"Guess there's no need to see a healer then." Varka laughs, trying to lighten the mood but the air around them still felt stiff. "I'll, uh, go see one in the morning though."
"I already sent someone to have one stop by, so we won't have to make you walk on it." They take his coat from him, folding it nicely and sitting down. "I'm just glad you didn't get hurt from the monster, especially since you really don't like being on the bottom..."
Varka snorts out a hearty laugh, "if you want to pin me down I'll be a happy man, but that thing was definitely going to kill me if you didn't shield me in time." He toss them his shirt to fold, "guess I'll just sleep in these pants. Trying to get them back on in the morning might be a bigger pain."
"Glad to know I'm safe tonight." His partner laughs, throwing him a sarcastic wink, making Varka cringe before laughing with them.
They discuss their new plans for the Knights while talking over a late night snack they order from the bar. Although Varka had already sent word that they are returning to Mondstadt, he would be willing to stay in Nod-Krai if the Wild Hunt situation began to stir again before he had left. His partner argues that he should arrive with the rest of the knights, both for his sakes and the people of Mondstadt. With a counterpoint of he would return to Nod-Krai quickly if need be.
"I already know what you're going to say, I'm not leaving you here to take care of things while I'm gone."
"And why not?" They reply, stacking their dishes together to bring them back to the bar. "I know everyone stationed in Favonius Keep are more than capable but wouldn't keep you more at ease-"
"They are." He cuts them off, "and you are too, I know that and I trust you to take care of things while I would be gone..." He chews on his lip, holding himself back from saying anything selfish. They took this as a good opportunity to give him a bit of space and carried the dishes out of the room. "Is this really a good time to bring it up..." Varka taps his hand on his leg.
Fuck it.
He began to contemplate how he would reach his coat without putting pressure onto his leg. His partner had laid to on the back of the chair at the foot of the single bed. So he could slide across it, hop up a little and grab it before his-
"What do you think you're doing?" His partner says when the door to the room slides over, even though Varka is still sat on the side of the bed, not moving an inch since Flins had left.
"What do you mean?" He chuckles, trying to hide the fact that they did sneak up on him. "I'm just sitting here."
"Uh huh." They cross their arms, "whatever you need I'll get it for you." They eye his coat, then face him again.
"It's nothing, forget about it." He stretches out one arm, beckoning them to his side. "Let's just go to sleep, yeah?"
His partner drops it and helps him adjust on the bed, "I'll sleep on the coach tonight so just get comfortable-" He snakes an arm around their waist, pulling them towards him, making them sit on the edge of the bed.
"There's plenty of space for the both of us." He grins, "you can always lay on top of me if you want to."
"You know I can't sleep like that and besides you take up the whole bed without being injured." They argue.
"You're really gonna leave your man defenseless like this?" He jokes, "that couch is so tiny anyway you wouldn't get any sleep."
"Oh but I have to protect you," they tease back in an over dramatic tone, "I simply must keep my man safe. Staying up all night is par for the course."
Varka rolls his eyes, pulling them on top of him now. "Like this you're not even on my leg," he tries to convince them, "c'mon just for a little while?"
"Fine fine, let me change first..." they mumble, sliding off the bed, still wondering what could be in his coat that he was secretly be trying to get.
With both of them now changed and the lights turned off, his partner finds themself pressed up against his side, desperately trying to not fall off the bed. Their head is placed on the opposite side of his heart. "Happy?" They tease.
"With you here, I could never be happier." Varka grabs their hand and gives it a squeeze. "I'm so lucky and thankful to have you by my side." He leans down slightly to plant a kiss on their forehead. "Sometimes I wonder if I could ever let you go."
They turn their head and find his eyes in the darkness, "I'm never letting you go." They confess, "so don't try to get rid of me." Their eye flicker to his lips, then back up. "Although I think it would be hard to get rid of me." They lean up and place a gentle kiss on his lips.
A slow one, at first. "I couldn't image my life without you." Varka kisses them back, intertwining their fingers with his, "and I don't ever want to."
now on Ao3 :)